The Midnight Office for Weekdays and Saturday
9
Then:
Lord, have mercy.
Forty times.
And this Prayer of the Hours:
Thou Who at all times and every hour, in heaven and in earth, art worshipped and
glorified, O Christ God, Who art long-suffering, plenteous in mercy, most compas-
sionate, Who loveth the righteous and hast mercy on sinners, Who callest all to sal-
vation through the promise of good things to come: Receive, O Lord, our prayers at
this hour, and guide our life toward Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, make
chaste our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our intentions, and deliver us from
every sorrow, evil and pain. Compass us about with Thy holy angels, that, guarded
and guided by their array, we may attain to the unity of the faith and the knowl-
edge of Thine unapproachable glory; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
Lord have mercy.
Thrice
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the unto the ages of ages. Amen.
More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the
Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theoto-
kos, thee do we magnify.
In the name of the Lord, father (Master) bless.
P
R I E S T
:
God be gracious unto us and bless us, and cause Thy face to shine upon us,
and have mercy on us.
R
E A D E R
:
Amen
If it be a weekday service:
And if be Great Lent, or the first day of the Apostles fast, or the first day of the Nativity Fast (if it fall on a
weekday), we say prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, dividing it into three parts and making three prostrations.
P
R I E S T
:
O Lord and Master of my life, a spirit of idleness, despondency, ambition,
talking give me not.
Prostration.
But rather a spirit of chastity, humble-mindedness, patience, and love bestow up me
Thy servant.
Prostration.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my failings and not condemn my brother; for
blessed art Thou unto the ages of amen.
Prostration.
Then twelve Á-°reverencesÁ-? (bows from the waist with the sign of the Cross). With each one we say:
O God,
cleanse me a sinner.
. And then the entire prayer:
O Lord and Master of my life, a spirit idleness, despondency, ambition, idle talking
give me not. But rather a spirit of chastity, humble-mindedness, patience, and love
bestow on me Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my failings and
not condemn my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of amen.
Prostration.